brewin



March 17 TEXTILE-TREATING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DISPENSING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 Fig.

March 17, 1964 e. H. BREWIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, l96 0 null United States Patent 3,125,248 TEXTILE-TREATING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DESPENSING Grant H. Brewin, Souderton, Pa., assign'or, by mesne assignments, to Proctor Hydro-Set Company, Montgomeryville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 6, 1960., Ser. No. 53,965 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-1) This invention relates to systems for treating textiles such as hosiery or the like and has for an object the provision of a method of and apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of liquid dye into a mixing fluid line before the latter enters the textile-treating chamber.

In the hosiery industry, it is the practice to place stockings of both the flat knit full-fashioned type and the circular knit seamless type on individual forms or boards and to place these forms in a treating chamber while the stockings are subjected to a dyeing treatment. Heretofore it has been the practice to pre-mix the dye concentrate with another suitable liquid, such as water, and to store the resulting dye solution or mixture in a large reservoir or tank. Such tanks must be made from a corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel and thus are quite expensive as well as being a heavy piece of equipment. The dye solution then passes from the large reservoir by gravity into a smaller measuring chamber and a measured quantity is then discharged into the treating chamber for dyeing the hosiery. In order to avoid shutdown time of the treating apparatus due to replenishment of the storage tank with dye solution, or to change from one color of dye to another, it has heretofore been the practice to provide each hosiery-treating machine with .a second storage tank or reservoir and associated measuring chamber, thus doubling the cost for this equipment as well as the weight of the machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for dyeing hosiery or the like which eliminates the need for premixing the dye solution, eliminates the need for large and expensive storage tanks and enables the dye to be changed from one color to another with- .out the need of duplicate dye-dispensing equipment. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided textile or hosiery treating apparatus which includes a treating chamber and a main fluid line connected with the chamber for dispensing a measured quantity of liquid dye into the main fluid line before the latter enters the chamber. The dispensing means includes a liquid dye reservoir which contains the dye concentrate andthus may be of relatively small size and a metering container of less capacity than the reservoir. A first flow line interconnects the reservoir with one end of the metering container and a pump is connected in the first flow line for pumping liquid dye from the reservoir into ,themetering container rapidly to fill the latter. A second flow line interconnects the opposite end of the container with the reservoir for recirculation of the liquid dye to the reservoir when the metering container is full. Valve means is disposed in the first flow line between the pump means and the adjacent end of the metering container and a third flow line is connected to the same end of the metering container as the first flow line and to the fluid line. A valve is also disposed in the third flow line between the metering container and the fluid line and means is provided for operating both of the valves and the pump means to stop the pump and close the valve in the first flow line and open the valve in the third flow line. Concurrent with this operation a valve in the main fluid line is moved to open position for flow of fluid, such as water, from a suitable supply into the treating chamber.

Venturi means is disposed in the main fluid line adjacent the connection with the third flow line rapidly to withare mounted on the tracks 12, one of the carriages being draw the liquid dye from the metering container and into the main fluid line by action of the fluid for discharge of a combined dye and treating fluid into the treating chamber.

To change from one dye to another, the flow lines are disconnected from the dye reservoir and one of these lines is connected to the main fluid line at upstream location. The other flow line which was disconnected from the dye reservoir is adapted to discharge into a drain. The pump is adapted to be reversed and pump the main treating fluid which may be water or other suitable liquid, through the metering container in reverse direction to the normal flow of the dye to clean the mixing chamber preparatory to dispensing a different dye into the mixing fluid line for discharge into the treating chamber. The dye reservoir is replaced with a new reservoir containing the new liquid dye and the flow lines are reconnected to the liquid dye reservoir in the manner described above.

For a more detailed description of the invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference is to be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic-view of a hosiery-treating .system embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2' is an enlarged view of the novel dye-dispensing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the valve-operating linkage shown in one-operating position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fractional view taken along the lines 33 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fractional elevational view of the valve-operatinglinkage shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the linkage shown in the opposite position.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is diagrammatically illustrated a system 10 for treating hosiery. The system 10 includes a frame 11 which is adapted to support a pair 'of'spaced horizontal tracks 12, only one being shown, on-which ride the roller supported carriages 13. The

carriages 13 have pivotally mounted thereon a plurality ofindividual stocking forms 14 or boards on which stockings 15 are placed.

The treating or dyeing zone of the system 10 is located within a bell member 18 which is adapted to be moved vertically by suitable means such. as-a'hoist. 119. To increase the output of the system, two carriages 13 adapted to be within the bell 18 for treatment of the stockings, while the other carriage is disposed atom of the ends of the track 12 for loading or unloading of the stocking forms by an operator. The bell 18, when in its lowered position, as shown in FIG. 1 is adapted to form a liquid-tight seal with a base or bottom member 2%, FIG. 3. Thus when the dye solution is introduced into the treating zone beneath the bell 18 by way of pipe or inlet 22, FIG. 3, the treating solution or dye will be combined within the treating 'zone and the stockings on i the forms will be subjected to the dyeing treatment. After the stockings have been treated, the bell 18 is raised by the hoist 19 and the carriage, which was under the bell,

is moved to theleft-hand end of the tracks 12 for removal of stockings from the forms and for subsequent loading of the forms with stockings by an operator. At the same time, the other carriage is moved under the bell for treatment of the stockings thereon. In this way there is no loss of treating time in loading and unloading stockings from the forms by the operator.

The details of the system as thus far described are wellknown in the art and are described in application, Serial No. 499,382, filed April 5, 1955, by Harry E. Brewin and Grant H. Brewin, now United States Letters Patent No. 2,915,230. The present invention is concerned with the mixing of a properdye solution and dispensing of such solution into the treating zone with relatively inexpensive equipment and enabling the dye to be changed from one color to another without the need for duplicate equipment as heretofore required in the prior art.

The dye solution for hosiery usually consists of a solution of dye concentrate which has been diluted in water. In order that the hosiery will be dyed the required shade, it is extremely important that the proportions of the dye concentrate and the water be closely controlled. This is insured in the present system by accurately measuring the dye concentrate as well as the volume of Water to be combined therewith in making up the resulting dye solution.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that water from a suitable source is introduced by way of a valve 25 into a main line 26. The main line 26 may include a suitable water strainer 27 and also includes a flow meter 28 and a valve 29. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the main fl'uid line 26 connects with the pipe 22 which discharges into the treating zone defined between the drum or bell 18 and the base member 20.

A dye concentrate reservoir 30 is supported adjacent the tracks 12 of the system. Since the reservoir 30 contains dye concentrate rather than diluted dye solution, the reservoir 30 may be relatively small in size and in practice is quite small as compared to the large dye solution reservoirs heretofore employed in this art. The lower end of the dye concentrate reservoir 30 is provided with an outlet 31 which is adapted to be connected by way of a flow line to the lower end of a metering container or chamber 32. The flow line preferably includes a flexible hose 33, oneend of which is provided with a connection disconnecting coupling 34 for connection to the outlet 31 of reservoir 30. Theopposite end of the hose 33 is connected to one side, the inlet, of a pump 36 which is driven by way of a drive coupling 37 from a reversible motor 38. The motor may be of any suitable type and preferably is electric. The other side, the outlet, of the pump 36 is connected by way of a pipe 40 and a valve 41 to a four-way fitting 42, one side of which is connected to the bottom end of the metering container 32. The upper end of the metering container 32 is provided with a flow line preferably in the form of a flexible hose 44, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described. As illustrated in full-line in FIG. 2, the flow line 44 is adapted to discharge into the upper end of the dye concentrate reservoir 30. The pump 36 is adapted to pump dye concentrate from the reservoir 30 through the discharge 31 by way of hose 33 and pipe 40, through valve 41 into the metering container 32. The metering container 32 is constructed to have the required or predetermined volume, such for example as one quart, and thus when it is full, it will contain the requiredmetered volume of dye concentrate. Once the metering container 32 is full, the excess dye concentrate will pass through the flow line 44 and recirculate into the reservoir 30. Thus the pump 36 may continue to run and the metering container will always contain the required amount of dye concentrate. This flow path of dye concentrate is illustrated by the solid arrows in FIG. 2.

The lower end of the metering container 32 is connected by way of connection 42 and a flow line 46 to the main fluid line 26. The flow line 46 is connected to the lower side of the flow four-way connection 42 and includes a valve 48 for controlling the connection between the metering container and the main fluid line 26. When the dye concentrate is being pumped from the reservoir 30 into the metering container 32, the valve 41 is in open position while the valve 48 is in closed position, thus isolating the metering container 32 from the main fluid line 26. At this time the valve 29 in the main fluid line 26 is also in closed position as no liquid is being discharged into the treating chamber 18. The four-way connection 42 may be provided at one side with a cock or valve 49 to permit a sample of the dye concentrate to be withdrawn as may be desired.

After the metering container 32 is filled with the dye concentrate, the valve 41 is closed, the pump 36 is stopped and the valves 48 and 29 are opened. This connects the metering container 32 with the main fluid line 26 by Way of flow line 46. To aid in rapid discharge of the dye concentrate from container 32, a Venturi 50 is inserted in the main fluid line 26 at the lower end of flow line 46 just beyond valve 29. Thus the dye concentrate is mixed with the water in the main fluid line and injected or dis charged into the treating zone of the system 10 in a minimum amount of time. When the required amount of water has passed through the flow meter 28, the valves 29 and 48 are closed, valve 41 is opened and the pump 36 again operated to pump dye concentrate from the reservoir 30 into the metering container 32.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the valves 29, 41 and 48 are provided with a mechanical linkage for concurrently closing valve 41 and opening valves 29 and 48 and vice-versa. The linkage comprises a lever 52 which is pivotally connected to the movable valve element 53 of valve 41. The end of lever 52 is connected by a link 54 to one end of a centrally-pivoted lever 55. The central pivot for lever 55 is on the movable element 56 of valve 48 and the opposite end of lever 55 is connected by way of a link 58 to one end of a centrally-pivoted lever 59. The central pivot for lever 59 is on the movable element 60 of valve 29. The opposite slotted end of lever 59 is connected by a pin 61 to the other end 62a of a plunger 62 which is contained in a cylinder 63 and is adapted to be actuated by way of pressure lines 63a and 63b from a valve 63c and suitable pneumatic or hydraulic source, not shown.

With the linkage 51 in the position illustrated, FIG. 2, the valve 41 is in open position and valves 29 and 48 are in closed positions. When the plunger 62 moves out of the cylinder 63 by applying pressure to hose 63b as shown in FIG. 4, the movableelement 56 of valve 48 is moved to open position along with the movable element 60 of valve 29 and the movable element 53 of valve 41 is concurrently moved to closed position preparatory to discharging the dye concentrate from the measuring container 32 into the main or mixing fluid line 26. When the mechanical linkage 51 assumes the position shown in FIG. 4, the switch S to the motor circuit returns to its normally open position and electric motor 38 and pump 36 are stopped so that dye concentrate is not pumped through lines 33 and 40. When the mechanical linkage 51 assumes the position shown in FIG. 2 by applying pressure to hose 63a, the end 62a of plunger 62 closes switch S in FIG. 4 and motor 38 and pump 36 are again started and dye concentrate is caused rapidly to circulate through lines 33 and 49 into the metering chamber 32 until it is filled and then the. dye concentrate is caused to pass through flow line 44 into the upper end of the dye reservoir 30.

The present system is particularly suited for changing from one color of dye to another with a minimum amount of shutdown time. All that is necessary is to remove the flexible line 44 from the upper end of metering container 32 and connect it with a pipe 65, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 2, which is connected to the main fluid line 26 at an upstream location with respect to the connection of the lower end of metering container 32 by way of line 46 with the main fluid line 26. The pipe 65 is provided with a valve 66 which may be manually operated and is in closed position except during the flushing or cleaning operation now to be described. By reversing the motor 38 and the pump 36, and opening valve 66, while maintaining the linkage 51 in the position shown in FIG. 2, the water from line 26 passes upwardly through pipe 65 and valve 66 through line 44, as indicated by the broken line arrows in FIG. 2, down through the metering container 42 in reverse direction to that normally taken by the pumped dye concentrate. The mechanical linkage 51 remains in the positions shown in FIG. 2 with valve 48 closed and valve 41 open. Thus, the water will pass through valve 41 and pipe 40, thence:

through pump 36 and into line 33. The line 33 is disconnected from the dye reservoir 30 and is adapted to be connected with a drain or other suitable means for disposing of the flushing liquid passing through the metering container 32.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that with the aid of pump 36 the metering container 32 may be quickly flushed and cleaned by the water from the main fluid line 26 so that the metering container 32 will be ready to receive the new dye concentrate. A dye reservoir with the new color of dye is inserted on the reservoirsupporting stand 67 and the flow lines 44 and 33 are again placed in the solid line positions shown in FIG. 2. The motor 38 is reversed and pump 36 is then ready to pump the new dye concentrate into the metering chamber 32 in the manner previously described.

The above-described metering system and manner of using it represents a substantial improvement over prior art arrangements and methods by not only reducing the overall weight of the apparatus as well as the initial costs, but also by enabling the apparatus to be converted from one shade of dye to another in substantially reduced time. It eliminates the need for any large storage tanks for unused dilute dye solution as the dye concentrate is not mixed in solution with the water or other treating liquid until a load of stockings is in the treating chamber and the apparatus is ready to be used. At all other times the dye concentrate remains in the relatively small storage containers in which the dye is supplied and thus only a minimum of storage space is required. The comparative costs of the present system over the conventional prior art systems is in the order of 1 to 5.

The various components of the system, such as the motor, pump, flow meter and valves may be of conventional constructions, such as are readily obtainable commercially. In one application the water meter 28 was of the type sold under the trade name Niagara. The pump 36 was of the type sold under the trade name Oberdoof. The valves 41, 48, 29 and 65 are available commercially under the trade name Jamesbury, with valve 29 being of the automatic type. While the foregoing components have been used in this system, it is to be understood that other equivalent components are also suitable.

What is claimed is:

1. In textile-treating apparatus, means for dispensing a measured quantity of liquid dye into a mixing fluid line comprising a liquid dye reservoir, a metering container of less capacity than said reservoir, a first flow line interconnecting said reservoir with one end of said container, pump means in said first flow line for pumping liquid dye from said reservoir into said metering container to fill the latter, a second flow line interconnecting the opposite end of said metering container with said reservoir for recirculation of said liquid dye to said reservoir when said metering container is full, valve means in said first flow line between said pump means and the adjacent end of said metering container, a third flow line connected to the same end of said metering container as said first flow line and to a mixing fluid line, valve means in said third flow line between said metering container and said mixing fluid line, and means for concurrently operating both of said valve means and said pump means to stop said pump means and close said valve means in said first flow line while opening said valve means in said third line and vice-versa.

2. In a textile-treating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pump means is reversible, and means for connecting said second flow line to said mixing fluid line upstream of said third flow line for flushing said metering container.

3. In a textile-treating apparatus the combination of a textile-treating chamber, a main fluid line connected with said chamber, means for dispensing a measured quantity of liquid dye into said main fluid line before the latter enters said chamber comprising a liquid dye reservoir, a

metering container of less capacity than said reservoir, a first flow line connecting said reservoir with one end of said container, pump means in said first flow line for pumping liquid dye from said reservoir into said metering container to fill the latter, a second flow line connecting the opposite end of said container with said reservoir for recirculation of said liquid dye to said reservoir when said metering container is full, valve means in said first flow line between said pump means and the adjacent end of said metering container, a third flow line connected to the same end of said metering container as said first flow line and to said main fluid line, valve means in said third flow line between said metering container and said main fluid line, means for operating both of said valve means and said pump means to stop said pump means and close said valve means in said first flow line and open said valve means in said third flow line, and Venturi means in said main fluid line adjacent the connection with said third flow line rapidly to withdraw said liquid dye from said metering container and into said main fluid line for dis charge of a combined dye and treating fluid into said treating chamber.

4. In textile-treating apparatus of the type including a treating chamber for dyeing hosiery or the like the method of dispensing measured quantities of liquid dye into a mixing fluid line comprising pumping liquid dye from a reservoir into a metering container of less capacity than the reservoir, causing the liquid dye to recirculate from the metering container to the reservoir, after the metering container is full isolating the metering container from the reservoir and concurrently discharging the measured quantity of liquid dye from one end of the metering container into a mixing fluid line for discharge of the resulting mixture into the treating chamber to dye the hosiery therein, connecting the opposite end of the metering container to the mixing fluid line at a location up stream after isolating the first-named end of the metering container from the mixing fluid line, and pumping the mixing fluid through the metering container in reverse direction to the normal flow of the dye to flush the mixing chamber preparatory to dispensing another measured quantity of dye into the mixing fluid line for discharge into the treating chamber.

5. The method according to claim 4 comprising changing the reservoir of dye to a different dye, isolating the metering container from the mixing fluid, pumping the different dye from the reservoir into the metering container, causing the different dye to recirculate from the metering container to the reservoir, and after the metering container is full isolating the metering container from the reservoir and concurrently discharging the measured quantity of different liquid dye from the metering container into the mixing fluid line for discharge of the resulting new dye mixture into the treating chamber to dye the hosiery therein.

6. In textile-treating apparatus of the type including a treating chamber for dyeing hosiery or the like the method of dispensing measured quantities of liquid dye into a mixing fluid line comprising pumping liquid dye from a reservoir into a metering container of less capacity than the reservoir, causing the liquid dye to recirculate from the metering container to the reservoir, after the metering container is full isolating the metering container from the reservoir and concurrently discharging the measured quantity of liquid dye from one end of the metering container into a mixing fluid line for discharge of the resulting mixture into the treating chamber to dye the hosiery therein.

7. In textile-treating apparatus of the type including a treating chamber for dyeing hosiery or the like the method of dispensing measured quantities of liquid dye into a mixing fluid line comprising pumping liquid dye from a reservoir into a metering container of less capacity than the reservoir, after the metering container is full isolating the metering container from the reservoir and concurrently discharging the measured quantity of liquid dye from one end of the metering container into a mixing fluid line for discharge of the resulting mixture into the treating chamber to dye the hosiery therein, connecting the opposite end of the metering container to the mixing fluid line at a location upstream after isolating the first-named end of the metering container from the mixing fluid line, and pumping the mixing fluid through the metering container in reverse direction to the normal flow of the dye to flush the mixing chamber preparatory to dispensing another measured quantity of dye into the mixing fluid line for discharge into the treating chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pahl et a]. Nov. 22, 1955 Brewin et a1. Dec. 1, 1959 Hood Mar. 14, 1961 Brewin et al June 27, 1961 Wight Sept. 25, 1962 

4. IN TEXTILE-TREATING APPARATUS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A TREATING CHAMBER FOR DYEING HOSIERY OR THE LIKE THE METHOD OF DISPENSING MEASURED QUANTITIES OF LIQUID DYE INTO A MIXING FLUID LINE COMPRISING PUMPING LIQUID DYE FROM A RESERVOIR INTO A METERING CONTAINER OF LESS CAPACITY THAN THE RESERVOIR, CAUSING THE LIQUID DYE TO RECIRCULATE FROM THE METERING CONTAINER TO THE RESERVOIR, AFTER THE METERING CONTAINER IS FULL ISOLATING THE METERING CONTAINER FROM THE RESERVOIR AND CONCURRENTLY DISCHARGING THE MEASURED QUANTITY OF LIQUID DYE FROM ONE END OF THE METERING CONTAINER INTO A MIXING FLUID LINE FOR DISCHARGE OF THE RESULTING MIXTURE INTO THE TREATING CHAMBER TO DYE THE HOSIERY THEREIN, CONNECTING THE OPPOSITE END OF THE METERING CONTAINER TO THE MIXING FLUID LINE AT A LOCATION UP- 